Son says he was not told of suicide plan
Monday 12th April 2010, 2:29PM BST.
The front page of yesterday's Sunday Express.
A GUERNSEY family is at the centre of an alleged assisted suicide controversy.
According to reports in yesterday’s Sunday Express newspaper, multi-millionairess Kathleen Dobson, 74, is said to have travelled to the Dignitas Clinic in Zurich to end her life.
The widow, it says, suffered from rheumatoid arthritis but was not terminally ill. It claims a Dignitas form was completed which assured doctors that all three of her sons knew of her decision.
She is said to have filled out the form which required that photocopies of her instructions be sent to all of them: Richard Carlton, who lives in Guernsey, Graham Carlton, believed to live in Florida and Robert, said to live in Dorset.
But Robert has told the newspaper he had no idea of her decision and was not sent the photocopies. ‘If I had been aware of what was going on,’ he says, ‘I would have flown to Guernsey and put a stop to it.’ He adds that he would have urged she see a doctor for depression and examined the possibility of a nursing home.’
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Why is it anyone’s business but Mrs Dobson what she chooses to do with her life. Terminally ill or not, if she was in persistent pain, she is entitled to end her own life, believe me, I know all about never ending pain! We allow our animals to leave in peace when they are suffering from terrible pain, but we can’t do it for our family members! There is something wrong there in my opinion.
Why should the Sunday Express care whether her family knew what she was doing or not? If they didn’t physically take her there they have no culpability anyway do they?
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Hell n Back
Here it is a case of testing the truth of Dignitas Clinic. They are claiming all protocol was followed when in fact a family member is saying the first he knew of events was when things were finalised.
Many people will have opinions on this kind of topic due to how controversial it is. A signed photocopied piece of paper is not sufficient in the process of ending ones life.
All immediate members of close family should have been interviewed at length so that it could be determined no other alternatives could be found.
Lets not forget that this event is final & people feel differently about themselves & their lives at different times. I don’t think anybody has the right over life & death. This is determined by nature or tragedy.
Left unchecked a business of this nature would be receiving backhanders from undertakers & associated businesses. The profit margins would be the most important feature if not properly scrutinised.
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Paul – any one of us has the right to choose the time when we go. How do you possibly consider it to be any other way?
If I were to want to go to this clinic, I wouldn’t want my family to know what I was doing, just in case they tried to guilt trip me into staying alive for their sakes! Not to allow someone to take their own life in whatever way they choose is entirely selfish.
I see your point regarding the monitoring and regulation of such clinics, but if a person is willing to go to such lengths, (as opposed to committing suicide at home by whatever means) I think that they have thought long and hard about what they are doing and it is not what could be described as an unconsidered act.
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Hell n Back – I’m with Paul on this one. Yes, you could take your life by your own hand but the point of these clinics is that they are assisted suicide – hence the need to ensure that their protocols are followed. If the protocols are not followed then the clinic is in serious trouble.
People can lose the ability to take rational decisions at various points of their life. If someone is suffering from depression (and I don’t mean just feeling a bit down or stressed) then they should not be allowed to take these kinds of decision – they need help to cure the depression.
What if you had family members pressuring you to go to the clinic so that they could claim their inheritance? Don’t you think that someone in that position should be protected rather than allowed to succumb to the pressure?
It is a difficult issue full of sensitivities. I think that the clinics have a place, as long as the protocols are followed.
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only when you are in pain and suffering can you judge.
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I dont know the answer to the old age question of is it right or wrong to end your life but i think if i were seriously depressed or suffered with a horrid illness then i would maybe consider it?! i dont know?!
My nan suffers from MS, and its heartbreaking as she has no idea of who she is or even of who her family members are so for my nan, i wish “god” would take her as then she wouldnt be suffering anymore and yes id be sad but i know she’d be happy somewhere with my pop!
I dont know how i would feel tho if say my mum went to one of these clinics and then was helped to pass away, id be gutted that maybe she didnt feel she could talk to me?! So i can honestly say hand on my heart that i dont know how to feel about this!
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